The 2000 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto is soft and quite open in feel. It also shows a slightly roasted quality it has always had that is a hallmark of this warm vintage. Sweet red cherry, smoke, leather and tobacco add shades of nuance throughout. Although not likely to be a long-term ager by Giacosa standards, the 2000 is quite enjoyable tonight.

What a crowd-pleaser at the lunch. The French journalists were amazed by this Barolo, and kept saying how it was very Burgundian. It’s certainly a crazy wine with aromas of dried fruits, flowers, nuts and tea. Then it changes in the glass to spices and berries. Phenomenal. Goes on for minutes.

The 2000 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto is like silk on the palate. Sweet, ripe tannins frame an exquisite core of fruit. The 2000 is remarkably elegant, sensual and polished but it doesn’t quite provide the visceral thrill of the most monumental vintages. Still, this is a very strong showing from a wine that has frankly never moved me emotionally. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020. AG

Bruno Giacosa has long been a fan of the 2000 vintage. I found his 2000s quite forward when I tasted them at the winery in November 2010, but far fresher when I opened the same bottles from my cellar in the US.

Fabulous purity of crushed fruit - strawberries and raspberries, with hints of fresh roses. Full-bodied, with an amazing concentration and a palate that goes on and on and on. Ultraripe tannins. This is the Romanée-Conti of Barolo. Terrific balance and richness. From selected parcels in Giacosa's Falletto vineyard. First made in 1997. James Suckling